Enclosure for a circuit breaker

Abstract

An enclosure for a circuit breaker includes a housing sized to support at least one circuit breaker and to permit electrical connections to be made to the circuit breaker. A housing cover or lid is movable between an open position in which the circuit breaker is accessible and a closed position in which access to the electrical connections of the circuit breaker is prevented. An actuating bar is mounted slidably to the lid, and includes a switch-engaging formation for engaging the operating lever of the circuit breaker. The actuating bar includes a switch-engaging formation for engaging the operating lever of the circuit breaker and is operable to move the operating lever between the first, active position and a second, inactive position. An interlocking formation in the form of a waisted portion defined in the bar is adapted to prevent opening of the cover when the switch operating lever is in the first position and to allow opening of the cover when the operating lever is in the second position. The interlocking formation is slidable to engage a corresponding interlocking formation in the form of a slot defined in the housing. The waisted portion is dimensioned and positioned to allow the bar to be freed from the slot when the bar is slid to move the operating lever to the second inactive position.

I claim: 
     
       1. An enclosure for an electrical switch comprising: a housing sized to support at least one switch and to permit electrical connections to be made thereto;   a housing cover moveable between an open position in which the switch is accessible and a closed position in which access to the electrical connections of the switch is prevented; and   an actuating member which comprises an actuating bar which is mounted slidably to the housing cover, the bar including a switch-engaging formation engaging an operating lever of the switch when the cover is in the closed position, the actuating bar being operable to move the switch operating lever between a first active position and a second inactive position, and having an interlocking formation thereon being slidable to engage a corresponding interlocking formation on the housing to prevent opening of the cover when the switch operating lever is in the first position and to allow opening of the cover when the operating lever is in the second position.   
     
     
       2. An enclosure according to claim 1 in which the interlocking formation includes a waisted portion defined in the bar and the housing defining a slot therein within which the bar is held captive when the housing cover is in the closed position and the operating lever is in the first active position, the waisted portion being dimensioned and positioned to allow the bar to be freed from the slot when the bar is slid to move the operating lever to the second inactive position. 
     
     
       3. An enclosure according to claim 2 in which the slot is T-shaped in form, having a narrowed opening position for permitting passage of the waisted portion of the bar. 
     
     
       4. An enclosure according to claim 1 wherein locking formations are provided on both the bar and the housing, for allowing the cover to be manually locked to the housing when the operating lever is in the second inactive position. 
     
     
       5. An enclosure according to claim 1 wherein the actuating bar has at least one slot therein, and the actuating bar is slidably mounted to an inner surface of the cover by means of at least one locating pin extending from the cover and passing through a corresponding slot formed in the bar, the locating pin having an expanded head for holding the bar captive. 
     
     
       6. An enclosure according to claim 1 in which the switch-engaging formation having edges defining an aperture therein through which the operating lever is arranged to pass, with opposite edges of the aperture being arranged to act on the operating lever of the switch on movement of the actuating bar. 
     
     
       7. An enclosure according to claim 1 in which the switch is a circuit breaker having a circuit breaker operating lever, and the enclosure is a circuit breaker housing, with the first, active position of the circuit breaker operating lever corresponding to an "on" condition of the circuit breaker, and the second, inactive position of the lever corresponding to an "off" condition thereof.